Oil on canvas

116.5×72.7 cm. 45 7/8×28 5/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on the reverse
EXHIBITED
30 Aug – 28 Sep 2008, My Humble House Formula One 2008 Exhibition of a New Generation, My Humble House Art Gallery, Taipei

PROVENANCE
My Humble House Art Gallery, Taipei
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by My Humble House Art Gallery, Taipei

A Grain of Sand, a World Unfolds
The Cosmic Vision of Chou Chu-Wang

Born in 1978 in Pingtung, Taiwan, Chou Chu-Wang draws inspiration from the coastal landscape of his hometown. Since 2003, he has meticulously explored "sand" and "stone" through hyper-realistic depictions, contemplating life and eternity. As a graduate of the National Kaohsiung Normal University's Department of Fine Arts in 2005, Chou has won prestigious awards such as the Kaohsiung Award (2003) and the Taipei Art Awards (2007). His works are held in the collections of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and the White Rabbit Gallery in Australia.

Painted in 2005, 1-1 Beach Series – The Long Road, is a rare early work by the artist, marking the first appearance of this series on the auction stage. It represents the beginning of Chou's distinctive visual language, where the "dot" becomes a symbol central to his later works.

Subtle Motions, Infinite Horizons

"To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour."
—— William Blake, British poet

This artwork captures the boundless texture of sand, with each grain depicted with painstaking realism, its colours subtly emphasised and slightly raised with paint, giving depth to the seemingly identical grains. Upon closer inspection, the sand's pointillist effect draws the viewer's focus; from a distance, however, the coloured dots blend into the vastness of the beach, forming contrasts in light, human footprints, and the ripples shaped by the waves. The interplay of the "whole" and the "singular" invites boundless philosophical reflection.

At the centre of the painting, a series of clear footprints extends into the distance, with the left side of the beach appearing flat, while the right side is rippled, hinting at the movement of both humans and the sea. This captures a fleeting moment: the footprints are gradually blurred by the waves, perhaps to be replaced by new ones, suggesting that existence is transient and ever-changing. It prompts the viewer to ponder the nature of "being."

As Chou himself has said, "Realism is the ‘appearance' that attracts the viewer at first glance. What I hope the viewer will engage with is the sense of time and spirituality within it." His meticulous depiction of small, individual elements, all gathered to form a temporal sequence, reflects his unwavering will across the long timeline of life. This is his understanding of "eternity," encouraging us to cherish every step we take.

Price estimate:
HKD 90,000 – 150,000
USD 11,500 – 19,200